A new mortal society
by Elpis21
Summary: Olympus didn't win the second titan war. But luckily, neither did Kronos. With an ever changing Percy, how can the surviving demigods adapt to a mortal world? (dead Annabeth, half brood camp, god-like Percy, OOC transformation, and some other stuff inside!) Rated T for initial death, and (mostly) paranoia.
1. The begining is an end

Bricks.

Brick by brick. He swore to tear it apart brick by brick. Of course, he could feel their powers trying to resist, of course they sent him their children to stop him…

They sent him their hero. Pathetic. The strength of his hatred was unmatched. They could have sent even a god, and still lose. Maybe even a primordial! He had taken the oath. He had sworn.

And when time decide to destroy something, he is unstoppable. Not even Percy Jackson, nor his stupid prophecy.

Don't take Kronos wrong, the child was good. With his curse, he could have defeated ten Lukes. Too bad he hadn't fought against Luke, am I right? He was only a child, with limited time on this earth.

Kronos, on the other hand, was a proud Titan. Maybe the proudest. And his children had pissed him.

Blood.

Droplet by droplet, Annabeth's body was emptying on the floor of the throne room. The irony being that she leaned against Poseidon's throne.

Thalia's body was still under the statue, and the only change of her situation was the amount of marble on her. Kronos had some artistic talent, you know? Especially when it came to add things on others. The irony was that all the new statues on the little girl were either from Hera or Artemis.

Percy Jackson's body was in a wall. It seemed impossible to tell if he was breathing or not.

Grover didn't have a body anymore. He was a bush. Or rather he had been a bush. Kronos wasn't racist: bricks, mortals, bushes; all the same to him.

Thrones.

Anchor of powerful beings in this world. It's how it works. The throne room was an anchor, nothing else. A symbol, yet a powerful one. Destroy the anchor, and it's as good as destroying the ship.

Kronos drew his weapon of choice, and began to slice. First, he wanted to destroy… Poseidon!

As Poseidon faded, he pried the fates his family would live.

As Zeus faded, he pried the fates to let the gods keep the power; all but the titans.

As Hera faded, she personally blamed Zeus' stupid daughter for not taking the prophecy on her shoulders earlier; this could have been solved so easily!

As Demeter faded she hoped someone would take care of her cereals.

As Athena faded, she only thought about saving Olympus. Someone up there had to do it.

Before Apollo faded, he felt his end coming. He knew how foolish it was to hope to get a gift now. He felt somewhat wiser than he'll ever be. The future. He had to… he had to give something up. When he faded, he was at peace.

His twin knew what he was up to. Not a bad idea, even if she couldn't help but hate the meaning of this. As she faded, she was no longer a goddess.

Dionysus faded on his char, wondering how much time it would take him to arrive at Olympus.

Hephaistos once knew a boy, that had helped him, and that would now need his help. Now, let's say he didn't know much. He wasn't much anymore.

Aphrodite wasn't really helping when she faded. She was messing with some mortals' love life. She faded at peace.

Hermes faded wondering who could need his last blessing. He had a debt for Delphi, right? After all, it spared that woman, even with the curse…

War was the last thing to go.

Power.

Nobody could see within the organs of Percy. His cells began to produce energy out of seemingly nowhere. His blood cells began to tear, only to become pure gold. Air filled his lungs, electricity filled his brain, fire filled his heart, skill filled his muscles…

A wall exploded.

Defeat.

That was the only thing Kronos knew he'll achieve. The boy standing in front of him was not Percy Jackson. The son of Poseidon was nothing but a receptacle, an embodiment…

A force of Nature.

Elements began to stir. Fire from the hearth began to slip from _her_ control.

Percy was having a hard time. He felt the temperature within his body approaching the one of the sun (that is false, his organs were _way_ hotter), he felt like the only thing keeping him from burning was the Curse he was still holding. Rage was in his mind. Kronos was going to have a bad… himself?

Anaklusmos melted in Percy's hand. His riptide was no more. That is why he had to make some new ones.

Ice began to appear in his hands, taking the form of a perfect sword, balanced, seemingly weightless, sharp…

Rage was in Percy's mind… But so was something else.

Percy had a plan. That's weird. He knew where to hit, when to retreat, when to dodge and in what order. While watching the scythe, he knew how to forge it, while watching the statues, he knew what they were, he knew how to manipulate them.

So, he did. He brought them to life, and they began to fight for him.

Kronos was a formidable opponent. But when needles (to not say pikes) of ice kept appearing and disappearing on the battle field, when fire kept trying to melt his weapon, when water was engulfing him, pressing him, slowing him, when the sun was somehow always in his eyes, it seemed impossible to him to gain victory.

Because it was.

He realized to late what happened when he became pinned to the floor, this body still holding, thanks to the curse, but ice making it impossible for him to move.

A statue took his scepter. And began to swing it, smashing it against Kronos' body, searching a weak point. And it eventually found it.

With a cry, Kronos saw the world end around him. Or maybe the world around him was seeing him end?

Pause.

The world was like stopped. There was no wind anymore, no wave, the crops stopped growing, the sun hid behind clouds, the moon never showed up, computers, cars and every system out there stopped working, no author found inspiration, no woman gave birth, wine began to rot, volcanoes stopped working.

Different animals were panicked, but nothing was as bad as the horses and the fishes. Whales were found in rivers, fishes began to try to break the dams…

The next day, the universe fund once more balance, and the Mist strengthen itself from the traumas caused by the events.

Then, happened a worldwide brainwash.

Despair.

Percy then noticed what had happened to his friends (where was Grover, and why was this bush in fire?).

He fell on his knees, trying to take a hold of his self.

He felt like he was slipping, like he was… not totally part of this world anymore…

His hands were transparent. Good. Wait, no, not good! He had to live! He had to… to keep going… fading isn't the answer. If he faded, he would never be with Annabeth… He had either to bring her back to life, or to find a way to die…

Percy took the elevator lonely… only to find downstairs a field full of corpses. Demigods, monsters and mortals alike were dead all over the place.

Shock.

The shock came from the two only people alive: Hades and Hestia.

With his newfound abilities, Percy understood that for the mortals it looked like a psychopath decided to do a mass killing for no reasons at all, but… well… mortals were right, I guess?

Hades was glaring at Percy, only stopped by Hestia.

He had a tear in the corner of his eyes.

There was no zombie anymore. Neither were there any living creature. Percy could hear sirens. And his dearest uncle (f**k Zeus! That makes Hades his dearest uncle! How much of a mess are you?):

"Percy. Jackson. What. DID. **YOU.** ** _DO?!_** "

"Wait, brother", said Hestia, "Hear him out first…"

"NO. He shall face my anger!"

Percy did the only logical thing; he shapeshifted. Then teleported. Then shapeshifted again. Then hid his scent. Then shapeshifted again. Just to be sure.

The knowledge of his new powers seemed to be printed in his brains, and with a quick check he found at that many other things were in there too.

When he thought about mathematics, all became clear. From pi (3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502 8410270193852110555964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847564823378678316527120) to phi (1,618033988749894848204586834365638117720309179805762862135448622705260462189024497072072041), he began to see the universe from a different angle.

That caused Percy to fear. He was changing. And he didn't know into what.

Percy teleported in his mom's apartment, only to find her worrying in Paul's shoulders. He felt like he should talk to her, but missed the strength to do so. He willed a note to appear in the kitchen:

Hey, mom.

You may have noticed now, but I have a real talent to be in trouble

Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll just sort some things out. I need it.

I think Hestia will try to integrate you both in the mythical world,

Do it. Or don't. But stay safe at all cost.

Paul, take care of her.

Be both happy,

You know who I am.

The last line made Percy chuckle. You know who I am. Well, I don't. Not anymore.

He then decided it was time to leave, and did so. He teleported where his heart led him. Of course, it had to be the worst place possible; Hoover.

To him, that place had always been linked to Annabeth. Now that she wasn't there anymore… Last time he was there she wasn't too… But back then he _knew_ she was alive. Now, he could only hope to find a way to join her. One way, or the other.

He sat on a stone, while trying to process everything. He was a fugitive now. He was alone against all the gods, the titans… And he didn't know what he was.

Maybe he was a god, well, it's not like he could check by cutting his self… He looked at the artificial lake. He had always loved water. Maybe it was time to make it his home? To retire for now, wait until things cool down, and then…

He knew he was purely lying to himself, now. He could not wait. That wasn't his nature. It never was, it'll never be. He was hyperactive, always had to move, and definitively couldn't let his family or his world alone…

He willed his home to appear in the water. Then decided to shield it.

The shields were built thanks to his powers over technology, and soon even the Mist couldn't enter the hidden building. It was a sphere of influence outside _the_ sphere of influence. It wasn't big.

Boredom.

Percy spent the next few days doing nothing. Gods (well, those still alive) know how hard it is to keep this much energy to himself. So Percy started to work. At first, his projects weren't big. It was a door, a new room, an underground, a window, a seal system…

But soon it wasn't enough. Percy was boiling with ideas, all wanted to be tested, all clear in his mind. What had he changed into?

Percy began to do researches on his own body, trying X-rays, magic scanners, and soon learned the truth… he had become immortal.

And way too powerful for his own tastes. He began in his dreams to understand what happened, especially when he had memories from some gods…

He then understood. He had archery from one of the two twins, Athena's intelligence (why?), Hephaistos' one as well.

Percy looked outside, and understood that only one day had passed.

It was going to be a looong time.

* * *

Rachel

* * *

To say Rachel was having fun was like saying the sun is the coldest thing in the universe.

Rachel was utterly bored.

Since Hades had taken Olympus over, then made the new "council of councils", minor gods kept coming to her to get a maximum of info about what was the deal with Percy Jackson. To a surprisingly many of them, the boy was a myth, created by the majors to show their '' power '' over the earth. But now, every god was basically free.

Free to recognize their children or not. Free to have an impact of the new democratic life of the myths.

Some, like Eridanus gained a lot in the process, as the council of river became an influent part of Olympus. Others, like Calypso, stayed in the background. Hecate became a full-time member of the council of councils.

And Rachel knew what everybody was seeking now: Percy Jackson.

Percy the traitor.

Jackson the god killer.

Percy Jackson the enemy of Hades.

He had somehow found a way to hide himself. Good. Rachel was sure of one thing, Percy didn't betray anybody. And she had to find him.

That's what she did…

With Nico's help, they began to look at every place.

Rachel was using a list, for once, and with her new companion, they began to make their trip.

First place: camp half brood. It seemed evident to look here, Percy knew the forest, and maybe some places to hide in. The soul sight (as Rachel began to call the ability Nico had to see living creatures) didn't detect anything at all, except a frightened frog that was clearly out of place.

Second place: Sally's apartment. It was evident that Sally was hiding something, but evident too that she didn't knew anything. The soul sight was once more ineffective. But the discussion with miss Blofis wasn't. She told them about some few locations that Rachel noted on her notebook (otherwise filled with sketches).

Third place: Montauk. Nothing noticeable. It should have been the perfect hide, but part of Rachel knew it was too perfect to be true.

Day two; Nico and Rachel traveled approximatively 7 200km by the day seeking at various places from different quests Percy had gone in.

Day three:

Location number 49: Hoover dam. Rachel remembered this place as the place she met the mythological world, and it would have made sense for Percy to be in there.

The dam was a true masterpiece. No skeletons were hanging around (even if with Nico by her side, Rachel knew they wouldn't be much of a problem).

They settled over a cliff, with a view of the lake. The amount of place where Percy would have hidden was now very low. Of course, he could have been on the run, but Neither of both friends wanted to think about it. If Percy crossed a boat, he could be everywhere now.

Rachel began to go outside the camp for her daily call to Sally Jackson. Of course, she had to be far from him to don't attract monsters, even if this was becoming dangerous to her as she could picture Nico's scent on her. Especially after three days of physical contact to ensure to don't be lost in the shadows.

"Hello?"

"Miss Jackson, Rachel calling."

"Oh, dear! How are you?"

"Fine, and you?"

"Fine… So, did you find him?"

Rachel hated those moments. Sally's voice was always filled with hopes. And Rachel had to crush them under the unbearable weight of truth.

"I'm sorry but…"

"Don't be. I' grateful you take so much of your time for my son already, you both. Percy has some really good friends."

"Thanks, miss… I'll… I'll tell you tomorrow if we can find anything"

"Have a nice night."

Then the call ended. Rachel came back to camp, the tiredness and the travel taking their toll on her mind. She barely noticed Nico sleeping, and sat against the fire, nearly like an automat…

An automaton? What's that one doing here?

It was as tall as Rachel, with clothing that let some gears appear. His irises were turning around the pupils, like some wheels. Its skin was absent, letting everyone notice the tubes, gears, wires, and pistons making this robot works.

"Er, sir? What are you doing here? Is it because of the order 33?"

"What? No! We detected you, so I had to check what your intentions were…"

"Rachel… who's this", asked a still half sleeping Nico.

"I don't know! Who are you?"

"I am Unit 12. You can call me courant!"

"Ok…", said a waking Nico… "So, where is your base?"

"I can't show you sorry. I'm just trying to get your identities for data and further examination. Who're you? What're you doing?"

"Er… I am Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and this is Nico Di Angello. We're looking for Percy Jackson, do you know where he could be?"

"Oh.", answered the automaton.

Gears stopped working for a bit, so did the eyes. Some rays of light making the psi letter (Ψ) in his eyes began to light the area, as if the automaton was using its energy for something else.

Then gears slowly began to move again following a swift move, like a dance. The eyes gained some speed and loosed some brightness.

"I have to make a report. Are you staying until morning?"

They quickly nodded. Any help could be useful, right?

"Good, then you'll know what the lord thinks about it. Maybe he'll personally greet you."

"The lord?"

"The lord of all mechanical life. The life bringer. He's said to be able to bring anything to life. He is our creator, protector and the nearest thing we have of a god."

"Oh.", said Nico.

Then the mechanical human stood and began to walk dangerously close to the cliff, then jumped.

Both adventurers were having a bad time trying to sleep. They felt watched, and most of all, they kept speculating about who this ''lord '' could be.

The next day was not only the end of the first month under the new godly regime, but also the day where they met the lord.

During breakfast, 12 reappeared. He was walking at great speed without any visible tiredness, thing normal for a robot.

"So. What did your lord said?"

"Our lord said he wanted to meet you, as soon as you both swear on Styx to never tell any god where to meet us."

"Fair enough. I, Nico di Angello, abide by your terms."

"So do I".

No thunder rumbled. Both adventurers watched each other with astonishment. The oath wasn't taken.

"Nah, we trust you, now, since you were ready to take the oath, but we can't let Styx find what it's about.", said n°12.

"So which way?", asked Nico, still a bit stunned.

"Oh! This one!"

As soon as the android answered, a tunnel of water began to appear, and slowly reached the top of the cliff. It looked like a stair inside. The choice of this mode of transportation surprised a bit Rachel. Don't electronic hate water? She lost a mobile that way.

"Can you pull the battery off your device off? It's making us traceable by Olympus." Asked 12, worry in his eyes.

Soon they entered the water tunnel, which led under water to a palace. The outside was barely recognizable from rocks, but by seeking them you could see turrets. Once standing in front of the doors, the tunnel collapsed, and the wall seemed to open like an iris. As they got in, it closed behind them.

The decoration inside was non-existent. Nevertheless, it seemed highly technological. Pipes were in the room, as much as batteries, air recycler, some commands panels, some devices none of them recognized.

"I'm sorry, you both. We don't have that much visit. In fact, you're the first visitors in here since I'm around!"

Lights on the ceilings were bright, of course, but what shocked both Nico and Rachel was the amounts of gardens in the open rooms at each side of the main corridor.

Then they entered a room were air was hot. Hot enough to burn humans? It seemed so, but neither of the humans in this place were harmed in any way.

"Welcome to the nursery. I'll let you speak with the lord."

Then number 12 left, and a voice said with ultimate despair:

 **"** **I told you to don't call me lord!"**

Then a man appeared. He was looking at both his invited with little suspicion. Maybe something more like… happiness.

 **"** **Let's skip the intro, will you?"**

"Ok…", said Nico.

Machinery was pumping lava in the background, and a robot with a post-it on his front were "n°1" was written was using his ten limbs to control its repartition over an obsidian structure.

 **"** **Percy Jackson has been placed under my protection. Why do you seek him?"**

"Don't you know? Nowadays, everybody seeks him.", said Rachel.

Nico feared it was the wrong thing to say, but the entity before them just laughed.

 **"** **Now that doesn't answer my question at all. Why do** **you** **seek him?"**

"We're his friends!", said Nico.

 **"** **She's his friend. You're his cousin, even if he considers you more like a brother."**

"We have to check on him. We have to make sure he's okay.", asked Rachel calmly.

"What did you do to him? Is he alive? Is he well?"

 **"** **The answer is no. He is not truly alive, nor well. And none of that happened under my will."**

"Wait, what do you mean, he's not truly alive? He isn't dead, otherwise my dad would tell me, so…"

 **"** **If I show him to you, what would you do?"**

"Make sure he's fine!"

 **"** **He isn't"**

"Then we'll help him!"

Silence took over the room. A seat appeared out of nowhere behind the master of this place, and he sat, beginning to look at both thoughtfully.

 **"** **It could work."**

Number 1 was beginning to emit a lot of clicks and rumble, while still working on the lava.

 **"** **I know, old friend… I know. But this world is changing. We need them."**

The room's light began to glow a bit differently, the walls changed to blue, and heat increased a bit.

Then the entity standing in front of them changed its form until he looked like Percy Jackson.

"Hey buddies. I missed you."

Then Rachel slapped him. She hurt herself hard on a skin of metal.

"You liar. It isn't possible, it isn't…"

"It is me. Did Mom have my letter? I was a bit worried Olympians would get it and jump to conclusion…"

"No way", said Nico.

"Yes, no way!", shouted an angry Rachel.

"You became a god."

"He became a what now!"

"A god makes it sounds worse than it actually is. Let's settle on immortal.", said Percy calmly.

"You are not Percy!"

"You don't really sound like him", pointed Nico.

"No, I don't. You wanna bet why? I changed, that day. I absorbed some gods domain, and even now, one month after, they're still fusing slowly. I don't know how this work, but I'll figure this out. Then I'll retrieve Annabeth. And Thalia, Silenna, Beckendorf, Grover,if I can."

"Dude the entire council of councils is after you.", pointed Nico.

"Ah.", said Percy.

Silence fell once more.

"I hoped at least Hestia would be on my side. Is Calypso free?"

"Yes, you moron.", said Rachel.

"Oh, calm down, will you? I'm trying to do what's best for everybody, and to do that I'll need your help."

"How come?"

"The Oracle of Delphi is down, I guess. We must retrieve the mummy. I sense dangers coming, but I yet have to figure what they'll be. And I don't plan to face the unknown once more. "

"Because that worked so well last time", said Nico matter-of-factly.

"Indeed. Now, you Rachel, you are compatible with Delphi's spirit. If we make you the next Oracle, it should expend my vison over the new problems."

"And why would we help you. For all we know, you could be trying to overthrown a bunch of gods, or..."

"My fatal flaw is loyalty. I can't start a war against with the gods. But I can defend mines against what is about to come."

"And what will you do to help us?", asked Nico.

"I planned on making you both my champions, you know? And Nico, there is this mortal, that will need your help, and that will help in this conflict; fatal flaw Hubris, inventive, clever, but also really stupid."

"What's his name?"

"Tony Stark."

* * *

 _Hey everybody! So this was the first chapter of my new story. I hope you liked it. I plan to let a chapter flow every month, but once again I can't promise you anything.  
_

 _The date of the month where this will go out will change, but it will always be near the end of the month, and it will always be a bit longer than chapters of my other story. I try to take my time with this one, to plant the characters a bit more. If i didn't completely missed the corrects settings, this story should be labeled as a PJO/Avenger crossover. I know there is a lot of them. I saw them, read some of them, and enjoyed them. Nevertheless, I'll try to be original with my stories and my relations between characters._

 _I also don't plan now any parings other than the canon ones, and I don't think it'll change. _

_Rachel will become the Oracle, as you may have read, and Nico might become an avenger. _

_I seriously hope I didn't make Percy too OOC, but i think his nature changed, deep down. I think now is time to show that._

 _Next chapter will be Delphi's quest!_

 _Merry Christmas! (or have a nice day if you read this later!)_


	2. Is the god human

_Just so you all know... This chapter was quite quickly written._

 _Thanks a lot for the astonishing welcome you made to this story, I wondered for days why it suddenly became so popular when the first one was in a bit more troubles. Well, I guess it's a new take upon the AvengersxPJO crossover._

 _I hope you'll like this second part and don't find it too far from the first one! (Even if it will be shorter...)_

* * *

« So here is the plan :

Nico, I want you to check on any living creature in the area, then make the transportation in and out.

Rachel, you go in, retrieve the Oracle, and we get it back.

12, you help her. If she must carry it, you do it with her.

I'm stuck outside because it's highly possible for Hecate to find who goes through a magic barrier. I watch from afar, and I ready some automatons for plan C.

The three of you have earpieces, so we can communicate. I'll try to make ice beings create his mayhem.

The goal of this operation is here.", said Percy as he pointed on the map at rose dot, "and it's close to the hill, so it will make things easier. They don't have agreed yet on the new state of the camp, and it will take them around three days. After them, the whole operation would get too complex. If we get the spirit now, there is a chance it won't be noticed, or taken as the spirit faded with its master. Questions?"

"When did you get so great at making plans?", asked Nico.

"'I've always been."

"No, you've not."

"He inherited that from Athena.", answered 12.

"What do we do if the spirit has moved?"

"it hasn't. I got a domain over prophecy, okay? I know enough about this operation to know where the spirit is. Everything else is blurry, but the spirit wants to be found. It wants another bearer."

"And who would that be?", asked Rachel.

"You have my blessing to take the spirit of Delphi as your, to bear it, may you need it."

"Isn't it cursed? The mummy, I mean.", asked Nico.

"It is, by your father, Nico. But the curse has ended as soon as he took Olympus to restore it."

"So no risk for me?"

"There is always a risk while taking a spirit as powerful as this one. But I made sure it would be minimal."

"How so?"

"He likes you."

"Oh.", said Rachel, stealing for once Percy's favorite answer.

"Likes her, as in, _likes_ her?", asked Nico.

Rachel sweat-dropped. She didn't want a spirit to love her!

"I… don't know? Really, the spirit has some very complex thoughts, it's really hard to understand her."

"Her?", asked Nico.

"That isn't clear too, by the way. But the spirit always speaks with a feminine voice, so I thought…"

"Okay, that is a spirit. What genders are spirit", asked Nico.

"ANYWAY, we gotta get him/her/it back, okay?"

"Yeah. Don't you have any idea what this new threat will be?", asked Rachel.

"Absolutely none."

An automaton numbered 11 then appeared with a screen in his hand.

"My lord…"

"Already told you to not call me that."

"Our reports show that Tony Stark has ended the development of the Jericho missile."

"Oh."

"The demonstration will be done in eleven months in this region of the world."

"Okay. Well, you two! We have to bring back the Oracle as quick as possible, then we will focus on Stark."

"What's with this mortal anyway?", asked Nico, before finishing to Rachel: "no offense"

"None taken."

"This mortal is the beginning of an end. Most myths are currently disappearing. With the events of last summer, the balance of magic is changing. The deities' food chain is changing, power will change hands. Mortals are becoming more and more powerful.

Today, there is not much gifted humans, but with their technology, that is about to change. We have to prepare them to what is about to come.", answered Percy with a strong seriousness.

* * *

They made it to the attic.

"Percy, you receive me? I have the oracle." informed Rachel.

" _Good. Now, you should shadow-travel. If I'm right, even Hades shouldn't be able to see you in the process. Nico, how far can you go with a mummy, an automatton and a mortal?_ "

"Probably about to Manhattan…"

" _Good, the meet me up-hill by shadow-travelling there. I have a vehicle ready._ "

No questions were asked. Just a world of darkness, and a sickening impression that you were stripped of your soul, and then a loud "POP!", as both friends went out of the shadow.

* * *

Percy was here. Of course.

So was a weird looking plane. Its wings were so that you couldn't really tell where they stopped. Instead, it was probably more accurate to consider the whole thing as a flying wing.

You could see on each side a propeller. And the back of the plane was letting an access to the cockpit.

"Welcome, to the mortals' greater invention yet: the Queenjet!"

"Everybody will notice us.", said a deadpanned Rachel.

"That's where the magic is. This baby can turn invisible!"

"Ok, who are you and what have you done to Percy?", asked Nico.

Wrong question.

Very wrong question.

The silence took root in the conversation, as the awkwardness began to grow.

Percy wasn't the same anymore. This point was clear, of course.

Finally, after what seemed hours, the troop entered the plane, and the new godling just said.

"I don't know who I am, Nico… And I did kill almost every friend of Percy."

If that had to kill the almighty lord silence, it didn't. This sentence was said in a sentence… in a way that would have made everybody uncomfortable. In a pained way, that now word in our languages can truly explain…

It was like he said the most obvious thing, altogether as saying the worst lie…

It was like he said what everybody knows, and what everybody holds secret.

Only one being was spared by the rush of conflicted emotions, and that was 12.

"So, we have the oracle. What do we do next?"

"We get a prophecy.", said gloomily Percy.

* * *

Flying a queenjet was a new experience to him… but to be perfectly honest, it was for the best. With no Zeus to blast you out of the sky, Percy could finally, finally fly on his own. It was what had always made him angry: he was trying to save the world, dammit. Why don't let him access the sky to do so.

Even while he greatly appreciated the instinctive knowledge he inherited from Hephaistos and Athena over how to fly this invisible plane, Percy had at one point to activate the autopilot.

"So. We have to make a list of the mortals that will end up with enough power to counter the dangers that I foresee. For now, we only have Tony Stark."

Both of his champions, both of his friends nodded, as he turned his seat around.

"Nico, I want you to stay in his shadow, both metaphorically, and if necessary, literally. Something is going to happen in short notice. I also want you to know where this plane come from.

Mortals have this society called '' the SHIELD ''."

A screen appeared out of thin air in his hands. And an eagle appeared on it. A weird looking eagle, sure, but you can recognize it. It was the SHIELD's logo. Isn't it weird that a society that is still so secret that 99% of this world doesn't know about it have a so good-looking logo? No, I mean; really?

"This society is the closest to find about gods, and seriously they could maybe… take one on?"

Maybe he shouldn't have done that. Now they were both broken. Hell, at least 12 was reparable! And that was the only one that didn't care!

"They can take on a god?", asked Nico, surprised.

"Yeah… A minor one, sure… but they have enough weaponry to be on toe to toe with one."

"And then?", asked Rachel.

"What, and then?"

"The fight has to stop at one moment… Who would win?"

"Nobody. SHIELD would suffer great loss, but in the end, they wouldn't be able to destroy the god… Maybe make it respawn with a nuke… But then they could go back in hiding, and let me tell you, they are good at it."

"Oh.", said Rachel.

"Indeed."

"So that plane was made by them?", asked 12.

"yes. You should try to create a database on how to fly it, because I'm pretty sure we won't find any instructions on Internet.", answered Percy.

"Yes, lord."

"And don't call me lord!"

"Yes, lord Perseus."

The plane then engaged the decent over the lake, where Mist began to gather, and hide the platform that had the queenjet landed on.

Walls erupted around the platform as the engines stopped, and soon they were indoors.

Then, pistons brought the platform back under water.

"Since when…", began Nico.

"Do I have this? Thirty minutes, I would say… 4 is on the expansion of the base, and let me tell you… he is gifted at this! Well, he is gifted by me, but…"

The platform then stopped descending, and a door opened. Nico was sure that this corridor wasn't there when he left for his mission. Nevertheless, it looked like the rest of the base, if you don't count the multi-limbed sphere that had 4 written on, and that was currently putting slabs on the floor.

The sphere didn't' turn to its creator, instead kept on working. Soon, some of its limbs just detached, and assembled on the floor to look like a frame of a sphere. Then, with slow pulses, they began to roll away.

They left the room before Nico could notice the frame come back with some wiring to connect the corridor to the main frame of the base (unit number 2).

"So, you do have a thing with robots?", asked Rachel.

"I have absorbed some gods and goddess's domains. That means their urges to use their domains too."

"Like what?", asked Nico.

"Building robots, obviously, but planning, hunting and shooting arrows too."

"You absorbed Artemis too?"

"I guess. Or Apollo. Or both… I would settle on both."

They left the mummy in a room, where it was placed by 2 under protections.

"Well, Nico, time for you to leave, if you're okay with that. Just come back in the week ends, you know…"

Nico was about to argue, but the silver glance he earned from the newly immortal was enough to suddenly make him realize how much he indeed wanted to do that.

Nico merged with shadows and left.

As soon as Percy knew he was out of sight (seeing everything from the sun), he spoke.

"I will resurrect Annabeth."

Rachel gasped. It was why Percy had sent Nico alone, it was because…

"You know Nico, as I do, now. He won't appreciate this. He couldn't bring his sister back, so why should I be able to bring Annabeth back, you wonder?"

"No."

It was Percy's turn to gasp.

"You guys are a thing, it's obvious. I mean, she did take a knife for you, if I remember, right?"

"Yeah… One other of my remorses…"

"And you will try to do an Orpheus. With the sun by your side, with the music and the ghost king but your sides, you think eventually you will be able to do your perfect rescue mission…"

"Yes."

"Well, then, I guess, you'll need your Oracle to be alive."

"I can't ask you to do this, Rachel… You know it's dangerous… Even if I do try to protect you in any way I can the risks are still high... The best course of action would of course be to..."

"Is it Athena or is it Percy talking?"

Percy deadpanned. And slowly, he locked his eyes with hers.

"Both", answered Percy's voice as well as another.

That definitively send some shivers in Rachel's spine. She quickly deducted that the other voice was Athena's.

"You have to understand", added Percy in his normal voice. "When you incorporate somebody's essence, even if it is while he is fading, you don't just inherit their powers. You inherit everything."

"But then, what with Pan?"

"Pan was a mere memory. The essence he implanted in all of us was divided. It is not in any way enough to manifest. You will found eventually yourself with some ideas, some memories that you can't exactly place as yours. That is all. His secrets are still locked. You just inherited from what the world, and by that, I mean the few satyrs, remembered of him."

"So, in theory…"

"In theory, Pan just placed you as an easier host for the spirit of Delphi. Nobody is able to make sure that you'll stay compatible, but he augmented the chances slightly. Maybe."

That was enough to her. She had to at least try.

"You said so yourself: the world is changing. I have to change along it."

"You want to be in the conflict while hosting the spirit?"

"Yeah."

"That is very bold. Okay, you have my blessing to try."

Rachel closed her fist as a sign of victory.

Then the world became brighter, clearer.

She wasn't in this room, she was everywhere at once.

He was in the oceans, she was in the sky, she was on the land. She was protected with pure power, and able to adapt. She could feel it in her non-existent bones.

She was, maybe for the first time of her life, alive.

Then a voice made her go back to her body.

"Well, I can choose some champions, now. Good."

"You…"

"I blessed you."

"What?..."

"I think all my components will son merge. What you experienced was an indication of my futures domains. So, what... what happened?"

Rachel took the time to think about it. She was… Wow. Are there any words? One came on top of her mind, but it seemed rather small in front of everything.

"Alive. I was alive."

"You still are, right?"

"Yes sure, but not… not at that level… I was… connected, to everything, to everywhere…"

"Oh."

Then Percy made a weird face, and laughed.

"Please tell me you're not going to tell me I will become the mighty lord of drugs…"

"What? No!"

"Yeah, I guessed too that that would be the heir of Dionysus. And I am sober!"

They both laughed at that, even if it wasn't that funny. But there is this thing; sometimes, it either laugh or break.

And Rachel was far from breaking.

Then she just left to join the mummy.

A cloud of poisonous green just entered her mind.

"I am the spirit of Delphi, servant of Apollo, mighty bane of…"

The spirit looked down… And the gas stopped turning around Rachel.

"The world is changing, Rachel Elisabeth Dare. And it appears that we have to change along it."

"Indeed, Oracle, indeed.", said Rachel with a new wisdom.

"I see that you have the full blessing of my new master… That should do it. Do you agree with the price about to come?"

"What is the price for knowing the future?"

"The heaviest to carry of them all. The worst curse, given from gods to mortals way too many times. The inability to change Fate."

"What?"

"You can fight. You can stir. You can think yourself victorious. But nobody, not even our master, can defy Fate."

"Nobody?"

"Nobody."

"Then I accept. I will fight, but accept that eventually, everything will go along the plan of Ananke."

"Very well. You should tell our master to reunite the sources of Prophecies, by the way. We will need every help we can get."

"Okay."

"Good, child, no return to reality."

* * *

The mist dissipated. A low thunder was heard all over the world, and quite immediately forgotten by the mortals.

* * *

Olympus

* * *

But not by Hades. Nor Hestia.

"Brother", said the goddess of the Hearth, in a warning tone.

"He put a new Oracle in the game.", said the lord of the Underground.

"You still don't know if his intentions are to attack us, or not."

"Call a council of the councils, sister. We will not do our familly's errors by neglecting what the others have to say about this."

Hestia sighed. At least the Hearth was still there. The mount didn't fall. Yet.

She pressed a rainbow in a temple still in construction.

Iris stepped out of it.

"Do you want anything?", asked the goddess.

Hestia sighed, and looked at her.

"Summon a council, please."

Iris smiled at the "please", and left to do her task.

* * *

Soon, the entire council was here.

Sure, the city was still under reconstruction, but the throne room was nearly finished. The gods all had their seat, grouped by class.

Nature, Emotions, Order, and finally the others.

The Nature class was filled by rivers, from Styx to Hudson. It contained also the council of the Satyrs.

Emotion was filled by the Muses, even if Polymnia (rhetoric) was against this denomination. Nike was also here, and that earned this council the name of the most badly named council.

Order was filled by deities that controlled the Nature, even if they are not the personification of their elements. The entire house of the winds entered this category.

The others were gods so important that it was unbelievable to put them in a group with the others. Both kin of Kronos, and of course the goddess of magic were in this category.

"Goddesses, gods. It came to our intention that Percy Jackson had changed the host of Delphi's Oracle. By doing so, he just took control of one of our finest source of prophecies. What should we do? This is a vote for declaring war upon the killer of Kronos."

For the two next hours, gods and goddesses, minors or not alike, came forward, on the newly built stage to discuss, comprehend, ask, wonder, theorize, convince, be a complete fool etcetera.

Little by little, every god had made up their mind, placing in a magic box one of the two stones given to them.

The white one was to accord the proposition. The other one was to counter it.

That means, that if the black stones win, a new proposition is to be given by the council that gave the most amount of dark rock by people present.

Therefore, the Nature class was more able to put a re-proposition, and the others to reformulate it.

But, as there was already a proposition made by the others in this case, the council would not be able to make another. Not in this subject.

Sure, the system was flawed. But it was a complete new start.

Something entirely new, still adapting.

* * *

The vote ended.

Good.

Let's see the results.

Percy Jackson was losing fans, apparently. The vote was still for a non-aggression, but always closer to a stalemate, and ever closer to a war.

Good.

In only 5 weeks, Jackson had managed to come from a fugitive to a potential enemy.

At first, gods only wanted to hear his side of the story, arguing that anyone in his situation would go into hiding, to grieve. To protect themselves.

At first, the council of councils was just eager to find the son of the sea god.

Now?

I already said it. We're getting to war. Slowly, but surely.

One of the others matters that nobody wanted to talk about was what to do with camp.

Not both of them, as the roman one was largely able to survive alone, without any action of the gods, Lupa just kept an eye for the council over it.

The Greek one, however…

It had been emptied. Emptied to a point where there was only Chiron and two children.

The vote had been repelled to further notice because of the way things are…

Olympus needs an engineer. Or an architect. Or both.

* * *

Perseus' team

* * *

Rachel was having a nice time.

Turns out Delphi was a nice guy. And a damn player of monopoly.

No, really. With him at his side, she just won her third game in a row, against 12 and 11.

11 was looking a bit like his younger brother, but his eyes were completely different. Instead of the glowing psi in it, the symbol was a pi. His face was built in fake skin, making him look more like a human. And he shapeshifted.

Well, how to say that? Details in his face, its structure, and everything, kept moving. His eyes could change colors, and sometimes the glow of the Pi was so low it was hard to see it.

It also seemed that his limbs could elongate for about 50cm (20 inches).

Heck, eve the color of his skin and his hair could change as well!

Rachel was currently waiting for Percy to come up with a plan to fuze all the sources of prophecy together. First, that meant bringing back the forest of Rea.

From what Percy told her, if he had any power of Artemis, he could maybe, with Pan's blessing, grow it back. Apollo's power could allow to make it have its power back together. Of course, this was all theoretical.

But still.

It was their best shot.

* * *

Nico never hated more to be sent on a mission.

Seriously, this mortal, this "Tony Stark" had a serious problem with alcohol, social relations, women, work, money, time, space, friendship, respect, engineering (his tests being quite… rash. Seriously, if his math was off, he would have been dead by now at least 5 times!), subordinates, insubordinations and the list goes on.

From what Nico had seen, however, the man knew how to roll a dice. The best theory yet to explain that was muscle memory.

Thousands if not millions of try to build an instinctive comprehension regarding where the cube would stop.

Nico had stood in shadows for gods know how long, now (that may or may not include Perseus… Is it lord Perseus, now?), and he was itching to come back to light.

He was pretty sure that he was with the worst mission.

He was bored.

He was tired.

He wanted to go ho… back to the base.

He was **sure** to have got the worst mission.

* * *

Out of the group made by the three old friends, Rachel knew her mission was the worst.

She was now travelling all around the world, to reference for further notice possible future threats. Might be fun, right?

Wrong.

Oh, gods, so wrong.

Because she had to listen to every conspiration that came out of the boring life that some people seemed to have. Very boring life indeed.

And don't get her started about internet, really.

God damnit! We're in 2009, already! Don't come back on every scientifical advancement these last hundreds of years had only to say that they don't exist!

Well… Greek mythology doesn't count, okay!

Nor does any other one that might or might not exist!

Of course, there were some things that made Delphi react. There was that time, where a homeless was chating with her (under journalist disguise), and suddently, Delphi asked:

"Come, seeker, and ask."

The green mist might have frightened the man, but some parts of him at least understood what he was supposed to do: ask the future.

"What is going to happen to me?"

" _A big apple shall fall from the tree._

 _A giant shall be find by thee._

 _To start a farm you will,_

 _And ensure that the fates fulfill their will._

 _Bring the man fallen from up clothes._

 _There won't be anything more shows._

 _If not the world is ended._ "

The mist disappeared, and Rachel coughed violently.

"Excuse me, I don't know what came to me…"

"It's alright, lass. But I still don't know how you do that!"

* * *

12.

A mere number.

A mere automaton.


	3. Is the human a god

Perseus.

Status unknown

* * *

Percy sighed and opened the holographic projector.

Soon, the room was filled with blue light.

"Shadow to lord", began Nico, with a slight teasing tone that could never have been noticed by my mortal… "Status update. Like planned, Stark will ready himself to get to the exposition of the Jericho soon. The demonstration will take place in Afghanistan. I'll need 7 for transportation."

"7 is currently pulling 8 and 9 out of their post. The priority of their mission is higher. Sorry, _shadow_ , but I can't let you the transporter. Queen-jet on your location, in 30 minutes."

"Roger", said Nico.

Two seconds.

That's the time they had before completely exploding in laughter.

"More seriously, how is it at 2?", asked Nico.

For the last few months, the base has been renamed after the operating system it had. Unit number 2. Or 2 for short.

"Fine. 4 can't continue the expansion because 5 and 6 won't gave it the materials."

"Oh. So sad. How many rooms do we have anyway?"

"Enough to fill 5 squads of shield."

"Cool. What about Olympus?"

"3 is still placing them under surveillance. Your dad's fine. They decided to classify me as major threat last week. I'm… officially opening the list."

"Do you think we need the help of Roma to set them of guard?"

"Plan Roma is too flawed to work. And they currently are looking for Asia."

"Asia?"

"Sure! It was your last report to Olympus, remember?"

"Oh."

Since Nico (and Rachel) had to be taken of grid, they continued to regularly send the council of councils reports. Fake reports. The last one was in Hong Kong, six months ago.

Welcome in 2010, by the way!

Rachel entered the room.

"Nico, you're getting side-tracked. Concentrate. Stark needs to stay alive at all cost."

"What about the others?"

"Legends. Myths."

"That real?", asked Nico.

"Whatever, Death-boy. Go back to mission."

"Fine, mum."

The hologram shattered.

"So," began Rachel, "what are you working on?"

Percy looked surprised when he noticed his hands just… _moved on their own_ , and were inventing… an aura shield device. Useful.

Like the name say, the shield block auras from both coming in and out. The ideal for a go… immortal in hiding.

The more Percy thought about it and the less he wanted to be a god.

He was an immortal, with some domains that had yet to merge.

* * *

Nico Di Angelo

Champion of Perseus

* * *

Nico was very much a mortal.

Stark was speaking about making the bad guy run away in fear when…

 **BOoOm**

Wait… What?

Nico had just enough time to jump into the nearest shadow before the artificial wind went over him.

Jericho was a huge success. Now, Nico just had to shadow (pun intended) Stark into wherever he was heading next, then fly back home to 2…

Nico was wondering whether yes or not he would have to learn cooking once back home, when he heard a gunfight.

Stark exited the vehicle he was in. A good idea, even if the missile heading in his direction might compromise it a tiny bit.

Boom.

Oh. Nico wasn't deaf this time.

He quickly looked at Stark life force. Fading, but slowly.

Good.

He then saw terrorist heading his way.

Not good.

He felt like a fool, trying to pray his cousin, but t's not like he had any other choice.

:: Don't worry, Nico. I just convinced them you were one of their target as well. When Stark get operated, tell me. I need to intervene. ::, said Percy in his head.

So… Percy was a god?

He was just thrown into a jail where a guy with glasses was looking at him.

"He needs help. Are you a doctor?", asked Nico.

The man nodded.

"I'm Nico, by the way.", said the son of Hades while putting the billionaire on a rusty table.

"Yensin. Nice to meet you."

The situation was worse than Nico had thought. Stark needed a magnetic implant, or else shrapnel would dig their way into his heart.

Yensin eyed the boy weirdly when he sighed, took a step back and declared to the shadows: "Lord, would you mind moving your ass and help the guy?"

A voice just said:

"Would you mind your language, you insolent child?"

Shadows began to whirl while a humanoid figure appeared.

"I already told you to don't call me lord", pouted Percy.

Then, the god noticed the presence of Yensin, and sighed.

"You saw all that, didn't you?"

Yensin nodded quickly and Percy laughed.

"Well, let me just lead, then. And Yensin? It would be great if, when mister Stark woke, he didn't have to wonder who was the strange guy who helped you. Scalpel."

A scalpel appeared in Percy's hand, while he began to cut the flesh.

Soon, the magnet was installed.

"Trying to remove the shrapnel here could have worsen the situation. If you see any kind of infection, just use your cool new abilities, Nico."

Percy was gone in a flash.

And the awkward silence was back.

"So… Who was he?", asked

"He's my cousin. Don't respect rules, especially those of physics. But he's a nice guy."

"And… what are you doing there?"

"Making sure Stark can escape."

Yensin nod, while Nico sighs.

"He isn't supposed to know I watch over him. Try to keep my intervention a secret, will you? I'm just a random teenager who was kidnapped after hacking their obsolete database."

* * *

Anthony 'Tony' Stark

Captive of the ten rings

* * *

Stark opened his eyes, and knew. He knew something was wrong.

There was something in his nose… he started to pull it off.

It didn't. Like an infinite pipe, the _thing_ was _refusing_ to _leave_ him!

Tony panicked a bit. His movements gained speed. Finally, after what seemed to be a million years, he pulled it off entirely.

He tried to stand, but there was something…Bandages. They had to get out of his way! Why did Jarvis play this kind of pranks to him? Where was he anyway?

He noticed under the bandages something that was in his torso. And suddenly he became aware of it.

The feeling was cold, like if the metal was eating his life-force. He also felt compressed, his lungs becoming claustrophobics, and his heart trying to escape his body.

As his hearings got back to normal he finally heard a "No.", pleading repetitively in the room.

It took a moment to notice _he_ was doing it.

Something touched him. No. Someone.

A middle-aged guy and a teenager were stopping him from ripping his cables off.

"Mister Stark, please."

Tony calmed a bit. He was Stark. Tony Stark. Owner of Stark Industries, genius, master of robotic, informatic, precursor of armament.

He is in control of the situation.

"What… happened."

"Shrapnel in your chest, trying to move toward your heart. You were dying, until doctor Yensin helped you", answered the teenager.

Stark looked at him.

He was scrawny, with a very clear skin, a bit like f he had stayed underground for long. His eyes were dark, but his irises hosted a movement, a whirl inside that seemed to indicate something.

''Yensin '', as the teen called him was… a bit familiar. It's like someone he had seen, but a decade ago.

Possibly true. Stark had seen a lot of people in his life.

"Thank you, Nico. We are under the roof, if you can call it that way of an organization called the ten rings. They, mister Stark, are your biggest fans."

"From what I've hacked into their database, they have try to impose a new country around here. Stark industries is, one way or another, their main supplier in weaponry. I'm sorry to tell you that, but there is a worm in the apple and he's about to eat you."

* * *

Then people came. Gave him a task. Build a Jericho missile. Yensin was translating.

"And they will spare you.", finished the doctor.

"No, they won't."

"No, they won't." agreed both of his newly friends.

He smiled and soon, they were working.

Nico was a weird kid. Really. Didn't talk much, but brilliant. Always in the shadows, never under the light to work, but still able to help Stark very much.

He admitted at some point having hacked into Stark servers to search whether yes or not their CEO was working with the terrorist.

He chuckled darkly, and said: "Well, I guess now we just have to find who would benefit from your death."

Yensin was very worried about both Nico's and Tony's health. But still, he was a nice guy, with basic understanding of engineering, meaning that they could progress on the palladium core quite quickly.

Soon, Stark had his solution, as he showed the blueprints (neither blue nor printed) of an armor. Yensin was confused at first, but Nico… just nodded, almost like expecting this.

While Nico made the algorithms (Stark often read them and gained total confidence in the teen's competence in the matter), Stark and Yensin just forged the pieces. Quite often, the teen would make proposition, like a better defense for the eyes, and that kind of thing.

Piece by piece, far from the recorders, they began to install the thing.

They finished with the left arm.

The onboard computer was loaded, knowing what to do in what order, and Stark was approximatively sure that it could call the authorities once they were out.

"We have a weapon of attack. We need a plan, or else it would be slaughter", said Nico.

"I have a plan, attack", answered Stark.

"Not a great plan. If both of us simple mortals have to stay back, then we'll be a dead weight, increasing the chances of slaughter on our side. We need to be at least shielded."

"It would make us late.", pointed Yensin.

"We were supposed to finish that part of the project in two days! I can make the shields for that time!"

And so, they did. By the morning, the three of them were ready, and when the daily inspection arrived, the armor was activated since a long time.

The door opened, and the two terrorists assigned at the inspection had no time to react the powered punch in their face.

The alarmed shout started to resonate when they were at the middle of their way to the surface, for some reason.

Sure, doors were closed, but the armor just destroyed everything on the way, pushing all resistance away.

The feeling of victory was felt in their heart as daylight (even if still dim because of the early hour) began to enter their view.

After being trapped underground for so long, it was like the dawn of something new. It's the dawn of a new time. The transitional state is over.

Welcome to a mortal society.

* * *

Sure, everything led to this point. But it's at this moment, in a fight where no god (officially) intervened, in a fight where those who will be in power in the future are majorly absent, in a fight in the middle of nowhere, that the balance tipped.

In this place, in this moment, mankind used for the first time the power to fight gods.

In this place in this moment, earth became able to defend itself.

Stark activated the flamethrower while the terrorists were still shouting.

The crates, the weapons, and his old life went in flames together.

Some men began to bring bigger guns.

Nico and Yensin were covering Stark, hidden behind rocks, with the energy and the will to survive.

* * *

Iron Man

Anthony Stark

* * *

Explosion.

A propulsion system of a Babylon (Stark industries, 2003-still produced) version 1.28 (noticeable by the architecture of the fins) backfired.

Explosion.

The gallium shell of experimental grenades was meting due to the heat. The chemical reaction soon produced enough heat to make the reaction go to the Stormbringer sniper (2007,2009, approximatively 20k models), revolutionary due to its adaptive angle in the laser, and the extraordinary balance the weapon had. The firepower was average (for a Stark weapon), but the accuracy was at its best.

Explosion.

Explosion.

Yensin and Nico hid behind their shields.

Explosions didn't stop, keeping going.

The world went in flames.

Heat was bouncing off their shield, making a force that started to push them.

It was using the limits to go behind, making heatwaves after heatwaves, going over their skin multiple times, burning their hair.

Tony was not fine.

He ran behind some rocks to avoid the majority of the explosion, but the armor was keeping the heat inside. He tried to see where his friends were, but it seemed impossible with the red tongs of fire licking his armor like the best meal in the world.

Maybe breakfast was the most important meal of the day for fires too?

Stark shook his head, keeping the thoughts away.

He was still in control.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the explosions stopped.

The air became breathable again.

He took a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

He was fine, and in control of the situation.

He had to initiate the command.

His computer screeched in pain, but from the abnormal reaction of his weapons, his instruction had been accepted.

He took of the mask.

And soon, saw his friends again.

Nico was abnormally fine. Yensin was another story.

Being less hidden and more in the way, his shield had partially melted, and his clothes were burnt, as was his back.

The injury was large, but from the little knowledge Stark had in medicine, it didn't seem so bad.

* * *

James Rhode

Assigned at the research of Anthony Stark.

* * *

Rhode just had the worst day of his life.

Well, maybe the worst month.

Tony Stark gone, he had to pull all the strings he could to be associated with the case. Sure, a terrorist group had declared having Stark, but their location was unknown.

He unlocked his door, and sat on his sofa.

As soon as he thought that a dinner would be nice, his phone began to ring.

He had been hacked, and his phone was announcing:

"Look for thermal signatures, Stark."

He honestly can't remember how, but next thing he knows, he's in the base, looking on the satellites for thermal signatures.

"Found one!", says one of his subordinates.

They look at it, and soon, they know it's him.

Orbital imagery shows an explosion in the middle of nowhere, as well as retreating movements from the terrorists.

"Prepare the helicopters. We have one billionaire to bring back home."

"Yes sir!"

Two hours.

Time needed to have two helicopters scanning for life signs in the radius.

Well, even if there was no life-sign, an engineer noted that there was a signal among the mountains, allowing the location to process normally.

It would later be revealed that the signal was drawing a fractal, but at the time, all that mattered was where was Stark.

The mountains that had contained the explosion where partially burnt in some places, showing those who hadn't saw the thermal readings the strength of the explosions.

A form appeared in the shadows of a cave, and soon, all guns were pointed at him.

The teen raised his hands.

"Wow, wow. If you're going to rescue me, don't kill me first, okay? Stark is inside."

The teen then turned around, and went back into a cave.

The soldiers looked at Rhode for approval. He nodded, and, guns still ready, they entered too.

Tony Stark was there, kneeled around a makeshift bed, in an armor. On the bed was a man, obviously wounded, even if not fatally.

"You took your time."

Rhode smiled.

"You're going home, Tony."

The teen coughed a bit. Once he was in the attention once more, he smiled: "I hope you don't mind taking us back to the country as well… My father still has to kill me."

* * *

Tony Stark

CEO of Stark Industry

* * *

The plane landed, and parked on the military tarmac.

Potts was here, with one of Tony's many cars, chatting with Percy. Her eyes were still red from crying, but other than that, she was fine.

Stark got out of the plane.

"Mister Stark, I'm Nico's father", started Percy, "Can I speak to you privately, please?"

They arrived soon at an empty room.

Stark immediately knew something was wrong.

The previously middle-aged guy shape-shifted into something younger. He spoke into a voice that completely dismissed the question of the age, since it could have been billions of years old.

It was the voice of someone who had seen everything, heard all of it, and knew everyone.

It was the voice of utter wisdom, of an all-seeing eye and all-earing ear.

"Please seat down, mister Stark."

"You're not Nico's father.", blurted the billionaire, still amazed by the presence.

The _being_ chuckled warmly.

"I'm not. You do realize that you were meant to die, in that cave, do you?"

Stark nodded, even if the question seemed simply rhetorical.

"I'm the one who sent Nico to help you, and I am the one who healed you. I gave you another shot at life, mister Stark."

"What do you want?"

"You are well aware, nothing comes for free. I am under the impression that this armor you made will receive some… upgrades, and that you intend to wear it."

"Yes?"

Stark was lost. Where did the being meant to go to? What was his point?

"Good."

The being sighed, ad sat in front of Stark.

"You have another shot at life, Anthony Stark. Don't waste it. You are meant to do greater than this. Become more."

"What do you want?", repeated the inventor.

"I want to guide you."

Silence.

Then, "guide me?"

"I chatted with your assistant, miss Potts, a very fine woman, you know? And it seems like you're not ready to jump into your future just yet. You'll struggle far more if you do this alone. I want to train you, guide you, and help you unleash your true potential."

"What do you win for this?"

"First lesson, then. Circle of trust. I need people in mine, people ready to fight not only for survival, but for life too."

"You want to make me a soldier."

"You won't be part of any army, if that's what you fear. You'll keep your free will, your freedom. I already know you'll try to do what's right, and that's all I want to ask from you."

"Why is this the first lesson?"

"Good question, mister Stark. You and I are quite similar indeed. More than you might know. If I need to make my circle of trust grow, then so do you. How many people do you trust with your life?"

Stark thought about it for a moment, before feeling a hand on his shoulder.

"Take your time to think about it, mister Stark. And shall you ever need my help, just call my name."

"What is your name?"

"Perseus."

The being then seemingly flickered out of existence, and once Tony came back to the tarmac, Nico was gone.

* * *

Nico di Angello

Champion of Perseus

* * *

You'd think that with their recent win, Nico would have gotten another assignment, no?

Well, no.

He was still in Stark shadows. Not that he had anything, against Stark, of course! But he had been in the living's world for so long.

Yensin had gotten a new job, even with the definitive closure of the weapon factory. They were working on upgrading the armor.

Nico took form in the physical plane.

"Hey guys!"

Stark literally jumped out of surprise. Yensin was quietly laughing.

"Don't you ever do that again." Deadpanned the billionaire.

"So! You can teleport?"

"Of course, I can. Thought about Percy's deal?"

"Did he send you?"

"Not to do that."

Stark nodded.

"We need help configuring the interface. Can't let Jarvis do all of the work."

"Gotta thank the lord of tech for my programming skills", grumbled Nico.

"Wh-What do you mean?", asked Yensin.

"Not a natural skill. He… _taught_ me."

"So we gotta thank him for our escape, hum?", asked Stark.

Nico sat at a chair in front of the screen, and began to type.

"Maybe? I don't know… You've been my longest assignments so far. You picked his interest."

"What is he?", asked the inventor seriously.

Yensin gave him a disapproving stare, but Nico just shrugged.

"I like to think he's cooling of. We can only place him in one category after he finished forging himself."

* * *

Pepper was coming in the basement too, noticing the three boys down there.

"What is the teenager that was in the cave with you doing here? And I thought you stopped making weapons."

"It's not a weapon", mumbled the three inventors at once.

"It's a flight stabilizator. Perfectly…"

The gauntlet made a very powerful pulse, making the paper in the room fly, and a little crack in the wall.

"…Harmless."

"fascinating…", whispered Yensin.

He was soon checking over the repulsor, the mechanics of the closing system of the arm.

Nico laughed at Pepper's glare.

"I just came downstairs to give you your mail… Obadiah is still trying to get a reliance from you about the future of your company…", said the maid/ assistant/ helper of Tony Stark.

"Just tell him I'm working on it. I technically am!"

Yensin let out a chuckle.

"You don't need to worry about this… He'll figure out something."

"Always does", added Nico.

"See?", said Stark, visibly happy for the praise.

Yensin and Nico nodded to each other.

"That's why he needs to go with you back there.", they said at the same time.

"Traitors", growled Stark as his assistant started _guiding_ him away.

* * *

Rachel Elisabeth Dare

Oracle of Delphi

* * *

Rachel was arguing with the spirit of Delphi.

"You can't blurt out prophecies to anyone who ask you something!"

 _"_ _That's my job, always has been, will always be!"_

Perse-Percy entered the room.

"What happened."

"Delphi was about to tell a prophecy to a police officer who was asking for my papers on the Canadian frontier!"

Percy laughed.

"What was it going to be, exactly?"

 _"_ _I was going to tell him that his son would ruin him!"_

"Yeah, and his son is 5! He would only have ruined him because of the rejection he would have endured!"

 _"_ _You see, lord? She is fighting fate! We can't stay merged!"_

"First, no lord business, I'm not Apollo, second, you have to restrain yourself. Just tell prophecies to people who wants them, okay?"

 _"_ _Fine… But I'm bored!"_

"Then why don't you both go and look out for Nico? I'm sure he'll be up to play Monopoly with the both of you!"

 _"_ _The ghost king just revealed_

 _And as the truth is spilled_

 _The man becomes iron_

 _He has betrayal upon."_

Rachel fell, as she had been levitating during the prophecy.

* * *

Unit number 10

-#errror#/title_exception\5078

* * *

Unit number 10 was away. Far, far away.

He was currently in the sea. The Mediterranean one.  
They needed other recruits, and that meant Calypso too.

No man falls twice on the island.

Lord Perseus knew that.

That's why he sent his unit here, after all.

"Care to state your business?", asked a voice behind him.

10 turned around.

His face was purely mechanical, not even trying to use fake skin upon it to hide his nature. His left eye was entirely black, as if empty. His right one, however, was glowing with a green light.

In front of him stood Triton.

The new king of the sea was seemingly shocked.

"What are you?"

10 cracked a smile, somehow.

"I'm but a mere seeker. Do you know were we are?"

"We're at Gozo, why?"

"The ancient seemed to pin Ogygia at this very location. Faith and beliefs do have power, indeed. Even know, the island has a connection to Calypso. But she's back into our physical plain, isn't she? Good. I know of someone who needs to speak with her."

"Perseus."

"Lord Perseus, indeed. He wishes no quarrel with any of you. Can I go?"

"I'm going to take you back to Olympus."

Chains appeared from the oceanic floor to stop every limb of the automaton.

"I'm afraid not."

10 disassembled himself, and his core soon left his body.

His limbs became boxes, and followed, even under the stare of Triton.

The god tried to stop them.

Too late.

10 was out

* * *

 _And this chapter too!_

 _Sorry, I'm late!_


	4. Creating a man from metal

Ho Yensin

Charged of the medical problems within the project mark 2

"Flight test number 6-05", announced Stark to the camera. "Also called useless, but Nico and Yensin forced me to do it."

The thruster was now attached to a weight, itself attached to an elastic.

Nico sat before his holographic post (recently installed here to ease their work), while Yensin and Tony were behind the activation panel.

"Status okay", said the demigod, "I think we're ready to go for now"

"Let's start with ten percent to see if we can achieve thrust for my weight."

He then made the exact same gesture his father did nearly sixty years ago, turning the cursor on his post, achieving the ten percent required. The loud impact of the weight on the ceiling earned him two burning glares.

As the thruster was now stopping, he turned towards his friends.

"I think we can agree this is the most useful useless test you've ever done.", said Yensin knowingly.

"Ha ha, you stay with Pepper too much.", warned Tony.

"And you not enough it seems. I think we can go for 6-06 with 2.5% thrust, and still achieve a lift respectable. We're lucky the most damaged thing is Tony ego, we can do it now.", cut Nico.

While they reinstalled everything, Yensin caught himself wonder what world was hiding Nico. It was clear that he was not like them, looking 14, but sometimes speaking like ha was older than them all.

And really, the look in his eyes was forcing him to believe the demigod.

As a team, they were working pretty well, for people working in their basement. Yensin didn't live far from Stark's, as he paid him a small house for "convenience". Nico was a mystery. Stark looked him up, and found nothing. No address, no past. Except maybe this ambassador who died in a freak storm after the 2nd world war.

Even the security footage seemed to show him leave one camera perimeter only to never enter the other's.

They soon had to accept that he would always be a mystery.

Stark often joked at that, saying he was in some kind of mafia, since he spoke fluently Italian and spoke about his family with always great displeasure.

"Flight test number 6-06 », announced Stark once again. "And I won't dare to call it useless."

"Activating at 2.5% thrust."

It soon gained a little height, before stabilizing mid-air.

"Okay, Jarvis? Collect data to use for the flight assistance, and redo the calculations at every start of the interface. We want accuracy.", ordered Nico.

"Very well, sir", answered the IA. "Should I include the actual state of the suit as well within the algorithm?"

"Of course, you took the words right out of my mouth.", concluded the demigod. "Once compilation is over, you'll have the means to fly."

"It means you'll finally let me test it?"

"We'll take it slowly. At first, we want you to be ready to use the flight system, then, as soon as you can make the basic maneuvers, we'll allow you to fly outside.", affirmed Yensin, while Nico nodded.

"Sir, if I might, Pepper Potts incoming.", announced Jarvis.

"Very well, let her in.", said Stark. "My babysitters won't have anything to say against this, will they?"

"No. It's your love life, Stark, and believe me when I say I don't want to meddle in it."

"Doc's right. We'll let you be. I have some family to visit anyway.", said Nico darkly.

He then left by the garage access, and shadow-travelled away as soon as he left the field of vision of his partners.

Nico Di-Angelo

Ghost King

Nico appeared in the base, which had gained a bit of size since his last visit.

Of course, 4 and 2 had been working. But now… The corridors could easily fit a god in his giant form, and the doors would only require him to bow his head a little. They also were brighter than ever, and it seemed like 2 had gained a lot of processing power granted how much computers were implanted in the walls.

The doors were opening like irises, which looked really cool with the bright blue energetic lines that coursed through both walls and doors.

He entered the nursery, only to be greeted by 1 doing some upgrades on the Queenjet they had recently acquired.

"Please vocally input the contraception you desire."

"I need an armor."

"User recognized, Death-Breath. Importing preferences in the design. Construction of the armor. Is a flight function wanted?"

"Yes, please."

"Very well, construction done in 4 hours. Please ask 2 to lend processing power for the algorithm."

"Will do."

He then turned around and left the nursery. As soon as the door closed behind him, a screen appeared before him, asking him to confirm a transfer of power from 2 to 1. He accepted, and sent the notification to "Lord Perseus".

He then got to his chamber.

To his comfort, the algorithms that ran into 4 knew him well. The chamber was big, with a lot of darkness, but also riches and rare minerals everywhere.

Photos were hanging on his wall, and he had a miniature version of her step-mother's garden occupied by skeletons-looking drones of 2 gardening and growing fruits.

All in all, the ambiance was restful, and very inviting to sleep. For maybe the first time in weeks, he felt like wanting to sleep.

Then light invaded everything, making it quite impossible to rest.

"Nico, we need a meeting. There's a new prophecy."

Nico sighed, and followed Percy into the meeting room.

He was appreciating the round table as well as the floating chairs (very comfortable, by the way).

The giant screen on the table was maybe a bit overdone.

"So, what's the new prophecy?", asked Nico to a still green-eyed Rachel.

"Gods of the new generation

Heroes rejected by their nation

One serves the Greeks, the other balance

Set on a quest for vengeance,

Two shall found one, the traitor

Everything needs a creator.

I don't appreciate you taking it lightly

Don't take my prophecies with glee."

"Okay…", whispered Nico.

"The two last verses aren't part of the prophecy.", announced Percy, as if it was explanatory.

"So, what? Gods of the new generation… It's you, isn't it?"

"Me and someone else, maybe we are more gods of the new generation than I thought."

"So, someone's with the council to track you down?"

"I have an appointment with my brother, triton… since he found 10. I could possibly use it to know who's the god of the new generation looking for me. Rachel, what do you think?", asked Percy.

"I think it's weird for the prophecy, a prediction of the future to tell us two shall found one. We've already found you. Unless there are two gods of the new generations looking for you as well."

"Oh, shit. I'm in a bad situation, aren't I?", asked Percy.

"Well, let's think about it this way. Because of you, mortals are becoming more powerful than immortals, which are fading slowly since you caused the death of all their faith base. So really, in the eyes of Olympus, you're not in a bad situation. Just the one you deserve.", began Rachel darkly, "you took away gods lives only to empower yourself with their domains, to fuse them together, and to experiment with them like if they were some kind of toys, an association gave you because you're to pathetic to live on your own. Now, let's think of it this way. You failed against odds that were said by the fates themselves to be impossible or nearly so. You lost all your friends, and can't join them in the after-life because the only way you have to go down is to literally erase you from history altogether. In this scenario, you're the victim, but in so many others, you're the very filth that corrupts this world. Is anybody wrong? I don't know, I can't know. This truths overlapses one another, making a weird goo where nobody's wrong or right, where it's all a question of point of view. Now you have a choice, and I'm surprised you didn't have to make it sooner. Either you go, make your truth heard, prove your intentions, and earn Olympus respect, or you can cower in fear, and flee as far as you want. But know this, Percy Jackson; Olympus is neither the only nor the strongest pantheon out there. Believing that you can run away, even in space, even in the other side of the galaxy, is a delusion. They'll find you, they'll drag you back, and blast you into oblivion because they feel you should never have left it. What's your game?"

Percy seemed broken by her talk, and said in a weak voice:

"I guess I shall meet my brother then."

"Wait! You can't go out there, just enter his domain, and talk to him. Next thing you'll know, you'll be chained within Olympus!"

"Then what do you propose?"

"10 has met the champ, right? Possess him for half an hour, and then come back to us. The base has shields strong enough to hold any force the council might launch at you, and it's very hard to find. I think you'll be alright."

"I… will do that. Thanks guys. Nico, begore I go, how's Stark?"

"Good. He's nearly ready for launching the suit, I think it's a matter of weeks before we can upgrade him."

"Good. Olympus might play with pawns, but I always play with the strongest pieces."

Triton

King of Atlantis

Triton was beyond pissed. The robots ad only escaped him a few days ago, but he felt so… insulted by it. It was almost like a direct defiance to his power. He sighed, while looking at a trench, hurling under the water with its currents.

"The sea doesn't like to be restrained", announced a voice behind him, "shall it even be with its own weight."

Triton turned around, and saw his own bastard of a brother. Well, the body of the robot under his brother's influence.

"Perseus.", acknowledged the god of the sea.

"Triton. I'm sorry I couldn't be here myself, but I can't risk to be caught."

"Why?"

"Why can't I turn myself in? Simple. Even gods have fatal flaws. Even wondered what Hades' was?"

"No, I mean why did you betray our father?"

"Oh. I didn't.", paused Percy. His robotic face was emotionless, now, as 10 stopped moving, save for the mouth, "I didn't betray anybody. I just failed to do it right. Then, I got caught up in things I never wanted to. I know you don't believe me. But trust me. Two wrongs never did a right."

"Then why do you refuse to give yourself in? Sure, Hades would love to smite you into oblivion, but…"

"But what? I deserved it? There are still countless demigods out there, and please tell me, has they received any help? I wasn't prepared, and so are they. I can't help them from the monsters, to my greatest regret. But they are more threat to come. The powers are shifting, whether we're willing or not, and the mortals will soon have to say to the face of the world that they can take it. If they fail, we fall. And I'm not ready for that. Not before I find a way to die as a mortal."

"Nice speech", said Triton, "does it ease your guilt? Because maybe you didn't want it, but you're still the one behind all this slaughter!"

"Once again wrong, my dearest brother. I have done nothing but my best. It's not my fault it wasn't enough. I keep doing it, because if we were all doing our best to help, then I wouldn't have to worry so much about what is yet to come."

"Meaning?"

"The images are still blurry, but I don't think I'm the only demigod out there who received godly powers outside of his parentage. I don't know their intentions, and I'm pretty sure if Olympus could handle them as well as they do with me while trying to find me, then you all-mighty gods would finally be useful."

"And you are talking to me, because?"

"Because I wanted to say sorry for not being able to save my father to his family. I wanted to warn them too about the problematic of mortals getting powers stronger than gods. You might want to start training, protecting, and choosing your demigods better. Or stop spawning them, just choose champions in the mortal society."

"I'm sorry, I don't have any demigod son or daughter…"

"James Connor, Olivia Smith, Liam Kent.", deadpanned Percy.

"What? H-How do you…?"

"Liam Kent's birthday is coming nearly. You might want to give him a present. He is found of Tennis. A rare passion in a demigod's mind, but, hey! Who am I to judge? Oh, He also suffers bullying from twelve different people, ADHD, dyslexia, and lungs malfunction. It's not problematic yet, just watch after he becomes 32."

"How do you know that?"

"I would be a bad uncle if I wasn't protecting him. He talks of his problems to a cat I charged to watch over him. You would be really spooked to know how many demigods there are out there, waiting to be found. And just to correct the numbers, the average lifespan of a demigod isn't 15. It's 5313 days. A tad less. Like 165 days less."

"If you're threatening to my kids, then I'll…"

"Wrong again, dearest brother! I am currently not threatening anybody. Just using rather efficiently my time to teach you how to be a proper parent. I am not threatening your kids, you are. They lack teachings, powers, a social life. The ADHD supposed to help them in combat is really useless."

"I'll only ask this once more, _Perseus_. How do you know that?"

"They're alive, are they not? They fall under my responsibility. Just like those fish stocks you send to die in the fishers nets. So many of them are just sent to their death, wasted because they're not adapted to what those fishers needs. You might also wanna increase Dolphin army by around 200 mer-people. They're barely able to protect what remains of father's palace."

"What are you doing?", asked Triton, a tiny little bit unnerved by his all-knowing brother.

"Training. I need to influence the mortals to make sure they survive. The only way to do this is to give decent advices. You're the lord of the sea, covering 72% of the planet. So. Am I good?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"We're family, dearest brother."

"If you cared about it, you wouldn't have sent dad to his death."

"Okay. You seem distraught. Don't forget my advices, brother, and farewell."

10 then split in tiny little pieces, and went in the dark pits of the sea, resuming his analysis of the magic protection the sea had held around Ogygia.

Antony "Tony" Stark

Mark two project head

Tony was flying. In a suit of armor. In his suit of armor.

He was going straight up.

"Sir", warned Jarvis, "The circuitry temperature is going down."

"Sometimes, you gotta…", began the billionaire, before being cut by his teenager programming head.

"Jarvis, begin locked down. Bring him home."

Against Starks muscles, the suit bent, flipped, and the repulsor killed his momentum quickly. Stark began to feel his lower body dry his brain from the precious blood running through his veins, until the acceleration began to be bearable again. The suit reestablished a horizontal position, and then swiftly glide toward the base.

Stark got to admit, even if his teammates were controlling, they were killing at their jobs. Nico's algorithm used a trajectory that didn't fight gravity, but used it in every way possible. He could feel flaps rectifying his trajectory in the tiniest amount, making the ride smooth and agreeable, something that would have taken Stark month to synthetize, even with Jarvis by his side.

The suit landed, and soon, the machines began to work with getting the armor out of him.

Nico was at his post, while Ho had ended his shift hours ago, profiting of a good night's sleep.

"Why did you cut my fun?"

"you do realize that this kind of sentence makes the whole situation a reversed one from the norm", said a new voice.

Nico's eyes widened.

"Percy?"

"Hello, Nico. So, how's your shift with Stark?"

"Get out of my property", growled the billionaire.

His arm was now free, but his feet were still locked in the boots.

"Geez, everybody's super aggressive nowadays. You might want a proper thermal protection of your circuitry."

"I think a gold and titanium alloy would do the job."

"Probably, but then the suit would weight a little heavier than the actual one. You might want to have a parachute or something in them."

"And how to manage the drag on the pilot?"

"Well, I think that the algorithm should open the flaps more or less aggressively from your height in the air, then once attained the new terminal velocity, or approaching, you might want to set the parachute. You also might want one of those parachutes that can be instantly cut from the suit, shall you be able to fly again", said Percy.

Stark being now free was now roaming in the room, getting a drink.

"So, why are you here? Went to watch your agent?"

"Not truly. If you remember (and I would be shocked if you didn't), I gave you the opportunity to learn from me. I am just here to give pieces of advice."

"Nice. Another controlling person in my entourage."

"Everybody's controlling. You are, I am. Nico is, Ho Yensin is, hell, even my other _agent_ , like you say, is. The truth being that life as we understand it tend to like controlling stuff around it."

"Okay. So why did you show tonight?"

"Jarvis, please turn the TV on."

"Right away, my lord."

"Oh, my god.", said Percy, "would you please drop the lord thing?"

The TV was now on every screen in the room, Stark watching with interest this journalist he had seduced once stating that nobody was expecting him in a party thrown by his company.

"I gotta go."

"Very well. Oh, and that woman of yours, Potts? Compliment her dress. Tat blue goes perfectly with her hair."

Stark was soon as the party, harassed by journalists, and he slowly faded from genius to playboy. A smile on the face, a drink in his hand, and seeking a woman.

"Hello, I am agent Coulson, from the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistic Division. I would like to talk with you about the way you and two people escaped that cave in Afghanistan."

"You know what's funny?", asked Stark. "Your long, boring name. It spells SHIELD. Someone wanted this name, uhh? If you're the shield, and I'm your sword, then, no. I won't make weapons anymore."

"It's more about the technological advantage you have, that's interesting. What you could do with this technology. We have to think about the consequences of our actions, and …"

"I've a team to keep me from doing anything wrong. I trust them. It's a trust forged by blood and sweat. This technology will be used to ''Interfere and Enforce '' peace, nothing else. If you fear to lose your job because of our breakthrough, then you are completely right. Now, I have to go and get my assistant, so have a nice evening, _agent_."

Coulson was alone before he knew it.

Stark soon found a blue dress, and surprise. It was a red-haired woman who was wearing it.

"You look fantastic, I didn't recognize you"

"What are you doing here?"

"Supporting you…"

"Are you by yourself?"

"Where did you get that dress?"

"I, uh, it was a birthday present from you, actually."

"Oh. I've got great taste"

"Yeah"

"Do you, wanna dance?"

"Oh, no", started Pepper, "Oh..."

She was already tangled in Stark's slow dance. Awkward.

"I am making you uncomfortable?"

Knowing Tony so well, she knew it wasn't a real question.

She was blurting out her answer, mumbling about her dress which didn't have a back like it was the worst-case scenario she could have.

He tried to comfort her, with obvious care for her general well-being.

She took it as a joke, so he made it become one. Not wanting to lose… what would he be losing? He was already out of character, and he decided to comply to her wish to lie the sight of everybody.

Apparently, the balcony wasn't good enough. Too crowded.

"It was totally, not harmless, by the way", explained Pepper. "You don't understand, because you're _you_ , and everybody knows, who you are, and how you are with girls, and all that, which is completely fine", her face was struck by… was it disappointment? Or anything else. For once, Tony couldn't read her. "you know then me, you're my boss, and I look like the one who…"

Tony tried to stop her before she continued, but eventually failed.

"And then we're here, and I'm wearing this… ridiculous… dress, and then we're dancing like that…"

They started to stare at each other, to seek anything in the other's eye, to communicate, really, because they were at a point were words didn't matter. Ironically, it wasn't because they were in phase with one another, but because they were so far from it that looking at their partners soul was the only way to understand them.

Having seemingly found what they wanted, they both leaned to the other… until Pepper backed down.

It was Stark's first time. The first time a woman refused his o

ffer.

Might it be anyone else, he would have blamed bad luck. But it was his assistant. For long his only ally in this world. The person he trusted the most on this earth.

Might it be anyone else, it would have been bearable.

He kept the act going on. He kept his straight face, not even flinching while kissing the air.

He even made it so, that to anyone else, they both stopped doing it at the same time.

When she offered him his escape, by asking a drink, he took it without waiting.

Not wanting to hear Pepper broken voice when she spoked about the olives she wanted in her Vodka Martini.

He left, and went downstairs.

Grave mistake.

The nightmare was only beginning, and he had just rushed to the ending.

That reporter, showing him pictures. Men, hidden in a lot of clothes. Boxes, shown with pride. One name on the side. One brand to unite them all.

Stark industries. Merchant of death, huh?

Those men where keeping Ho's own village in an unending hell.

The voice of the journalist (Stark knew her, he thought…) was feeling like a bubble underwater. He excused himself, fleeing the annoying glare of the party, and left.

It was a damned nightmare.

He was about to wake up.

He entered his basement.

"Prepare the armor. I want to operate, now."

Nico and Ho made a choke sound, but didn't interrupt the superhero.

Tonight was the night, it seemed. Field test.

Yensin throwed himself on a chair, and his monitor burst to… light?

Nico was already on his own, preparing the algorithm for (a simple look on his graphs told Stark what he was working on) an orbital trajectory.

The machinery began its work, and under 5 minutes, Tony Stark was hidden behind an iron face.

God damn consequences. He was about to spread hell to those who dared to use his name against innocents.


	5. Creating a god from ruins

_This chapter was out late for a month. Sorry for those who read it as it get's out, and for those who'll read it in the future: Yes, this chapters replace its late message._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

Anthony Stark

Superhero

* * *

« Okay, Tony, so your trajectory is loaded », announced Nico once behind his screen. "Are you sure you wish to use lethal force on them?"

"They associate my name with some bloody murder. Of course, I want to!"

"Okay… going in a sub-orbital trajectory."

"Estimated time of arrival?"

"ETA 3hour, sir.", announced JARVIS.

Stark groaned. It was going to be long as hell.

"The armor is programmed to wake you up before entering the lower part of the atmosphere, Mister Stark. You should take a nap.", announced Ho Yensin.

"it's really harder while flying than in one of my beds."

"Just relax, Tony.", whispered Nico.

"You're one to talk! Have you seen your eyes, young man?"

"You should go home and sleep, indeed, Nico.", said Yensin.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm not Percy!"

"You mean Perseus?", asked Stark.

It was nearly audible in the com that Ho was wondering the same thing, and was most certainly asking the same question with a bare look.

"Yeah, I mean Perseus. I know you don't have to believe me, Stark, but you should take his offer. He's a man you want to have on your side."

"How come?", asked Stark.

"He is really powerful. I think you've noticed the less than rational occurrences around me by now. I think I can say without bragging that _I_ am powerful, but compared to him, I am an ant."

"He doesn't give the almighty kind of vibe", said Stark.

"Yeah, he doesn't like power. I've chatted with him since last time he gained some, and I think he's beginning to fear corruption from it."

"And do you think he ca be corrupted?"

"If there's one man that can stand so much power without corruption, its definitively my cousin."

Stark sighed, and let the conversation die in an ocean of silence.

"How much longer, Jarvis?"

"30 seconds have passed since I last announce the ETA, sir."

"By the way, mister Stark", warned Ho Yensin, "I think the area where you're going to fly is not authorized. You should maybe avoid going in there…"

"It's your hometown, Yensin! I am going to retake it.", growled the billionaire.

"I am aware of your destination. But we can't risk you or your armor. Imagine if…"

"I have flares, can go at speed beyond the one of the sound. Don't worry, I'll handle things without a scratch."

"Does Pepper know your risking your life?", asked Nico sarcastically.

"No. why?"

"Let's be honest, Tony. If there's one person in this world able to stop you, it's her."

"No? I mean, she couldn't stop me to do some pretty crazy stuff before…"

"Yes, but she's the only one you have. I mean, to you, I could be a traitor for Perseus, a man you still don't trust, and Yensin is over-protective. Face it, she's the only one that challenges you."

"I am over-protective?", asked Yensin.

"In his mind. We all know that the boss twists reality until its nothing like real."

The team chuckled.

"Do you think we should include her in the team?", asked Tony.

"Nah. I think she would stutter a way out of the conversation and tell you about it being your stuff and not hers.", predicted Nico.

"And Rodey?"

"He works for the army, right?"

"Yes…"

"Well, then there's conflict of interests. But if one day you could hire him, then why not."

Ho smiled at the remark, as Stark began to fake confusion.

"Wait… You think you're paid? Yu have the privilege of working with me, and you expect a pay?"

Both operators chuckled, and Nico retorted:

"And that's why it needs to be higher."

The coms shut down for a moment, as laughter became too loud. (precaution took by Nico to filter the battleground noises from speech).

Stark nodded, and began to start a game of Galaga in his helmet. After a few hours of blinking left and right.

A blinking sound woke him up from a nap he didn't know he had taken.

The suit stopped using the flaps to neutralize the vertical speed he gained from gravity. It then changed position into a landing one, waiting the level of 50meters to make a burn, that stopped at 10 meters (stupid Nico using Italian measuring system).

Turns out nobody was expecting a red and gold suit to fall from the sky.

Civilians made the smart choice and tried to back away. Terrorists made the stupid one and tried to take hostages.

Some were shooting at him, but the suit defense system kicked in and a blast kicked them… to sleep.

"Nico…"

"Just trust Jarvis."

A move of his fingers activated the targeting mode. Civilians were separated from terrorists in an instant, and "eternal sleeping pills", as Ho Yensin called them, flew in a straight line.

His enemies never knew what hit them as they fell behind the civilians.

Looking for the chief, he activated the infrared vision. Turns out it was one of his captors, so he decided to have some foreplay, and a hand of titanium alloy pierced a wall to grab his neck.

Dropping him weaponless in front of the civilians, he just spat the words "he's all yours…", and took off.

"And now you have been sighted on their radars. I don't know the names of the planes that will come after you, but they aren't going to wait for you.", warned Nico.

"How come you're still on monitor duty?"

"Saw you playing at Galaga, tried to end the game."

Stark chuckled.

"Well, what do you think I should do?"

"Jarvis, put on the radar prototype?"

"Right away, sirs."

A screen appeared showing two red dots afar.

"Huh. We're nearly toasted."

"Estimated time before meeting; twenty seconds.", warned the AI.

"Yep. Well, might want to go supersonic. Jarvis, use the orbital trajectory the more appropriate.", asked Stark.

"Evaluation of the energy levels. You might want to charge the battery as soon as arrived.", said Nico.

"Reestablishing orbital trajectory.", warned Jarvis, before pulling the arms forth, and giving Stark some Gs.

"urgh. I hate trajectory changes like that."

"Well, if mister Stark gave me enough time to program a better way to change the trajectory! Right now, Jarvis goes for the shortest path, not the easiest for the rider.", said Nico with sarcasm drooling from the coms.

"Yeah, yeah… Just warn me next time."

"About warning you, sir, the jets are using missiles on your position."

"Flares."

"Right away, sir."

"oh, and you've got a call from Colonel Rhodes, Stark."

A recapitulative file appeared on the HUD as stark took the call in.

"Hey, Rhodey?"

"Tony I've got planes taking down something in the sky. Please tell me it's not one of your prototypes…"

"It's not one of my prototype. It's the finished product I have yet to announce. You should come to my house around tomorrow. It's gonna be a blast, when you see what I've got to show you."

"Do you want me to call off the planes?"

"I'm going to trespass their maximal height in around 5 minutes. On another top…"

"Wait. You're going? Tony, please tell me it's not an upgraded version of the Afghan suit."

"Won't tell you", began the billionaire, before whispering in his coms "even though it's true."

Tony then wondered what kind of strange looks his friend's frustrated growl had earned him.

"Well, anyway. I've got a journey of… How much time, Jarvis?"

" The orbital trajectory will allow the travel to be only two hours long accounting for the landing procedure. However, I've been assigned to change that trajectory as soon as I detect a breach to let you come back to safer atmosphere."

"Okay. Now you're going in space. I'm calling Pepper.", warned the colonel.

"Half an hour maximum! Plus, it's my suit, and I know my calculations are going to work out."

"By the way, sir", began JARVIS, "it's sir Di Angelo's calculation that allows you such trajectory."

"Oh", deadpanned the super-hero. "If I die, I want strip-teasers on my grave."

Rhodey ended the call with a sigh.

"I was wondering. Since we're kind of an awesome team that's going to bring peace to the world… Shouldn't we have a name? Like Mark 2 team?"

"That name's suck", pointed Tony. "First, let the press give me a flashy name, then we'll grow a team."

"is Rhodey going to be a part of us? I mean pilot with training, experience, leadership qualities… Would be a real asset."

"He would need an armor."

"Yep. And a name that won't be given by press, because I won't allow another soul t be lost by the whirls of such corruption", joked Nico.

"Why not War-Machine?"

"As always", greeted Ho Yensin as he entered the control room, "you go too fast. Before finding him a name, you should recruit him first. And I think young Nico wouldn't mind an armor of his own."

"Nah", corrected the teen, "I don't like the idea of flying. Family thing. But I have some ideas that we could work with to make a stealth suit. I think dubbing her the Ghost King."

"you think about dubbing _her_ the Ghost _king_?", pointed Stark.

"It's one of my titles", said Nico very seriously. "I think my team would appreciate the nod."

Stark sighed, and a new voice entered the coms. Perseus.

"I do appreciate the nod, Nico. Thanks."

"Security breach", stifled Stark.

"Continuing on that matter, and since we're talking about giving armors away, I think Pepper should end up with one. She is your weak point."

Stark laughed.

"She isn't going to accept an armor, you know that, right?"

"I'm sure you can make an armor that protects her without her knowing about it. If, or rather when, it gets used, you just say it was a rescue armor. Nico, you should use smokes. It would do rather well on your new acting persona.", said Percy in a wise tone.

"Oh. And what do you think my armor should be named, then, all mighty god?", asked Stark.

"I'm neither almighty nor a god, since I don't have a current domain. Nor worship. And I'm very good in this state. Besides, telling you what your name would be is spoiling, and I don't exactly work that way. I could give you a hint."

"What kind of hints?", asked Yensin.

Percy's voice became dark.

"The kind that steal your innocence as well as your soul, that makes you my eternal slave, of course."

After a moment of silence, a chuckle appeared in the coms that quickly turned into a laugh.

"You should have seen your faces! That was _so_ funny!"

Stark raised an eyebrow.

"How do you see our faces? I literally am half a world away."

"Not from my powers", explained Percy quietly, before ending with a "Well, gotta go what Rachel's doing."

* * *

Rachel Elizabeth Dare

Oracle, Champion and Babysitter of Perseus

* * *

Rachel was in a hospital.

She just had had a vision… something about hands, a car, rolling… Delphi was quiet, at least for now.

The spirit wasn't a bother in her everyday life, but at this moment, it wasn't thinking of anything, just letting flashes of the future flow in her head.

Rachel bumped into someone. Of course. She quickly looked at the person. It as an old man, quite little with gray hair and sunglasses indoor. Not the kind that hinted any blindness, but the kind that filtered the light with a tint of dark red.

Rachel excused herself, and sat on a bench.

Out of nowhere, she turned to the woman on her left, and said with an absolute certitude "You should have those lungs cleared for cancer. It is too early in its development to be effective, but it can already be seen. Treating it now instead of later insures a growth of your chances to survive by 10 to 50%, and massively reduce the cost of any procedures you'll have."

The woman blinked, clearly just here to check her flu, and most certainly not prepared to receive such a speech.

Rachel stood up, and greeted Perseus as he entered the waiting room.

"Who are we waiting for, Rachel?"

Rachel shrugged.

"Don't know. I am just here to… confirm, stuff…"

"Looks like I'm not the only one with power problems, now, am I?

"Nope. By the way, Percy, you've got a meeting with Thanatos in two hours."

"Hades is coming?", asked Percy as he Instinctively prepared to have a bad time.

"Not that I foresee.", claimed Rachel. "But be prepared. Thanatos knows we have the power of foresight and might give his technic to summon you, by creating a meeting where you assist in the future, to the others."

"I think we can relax about this. For now, I'll play safety, regaining contact god by god. If Hades tries it tomorrow, he can expect to be left alone."

Rachel nodded.

"I think I've also discovered the identity of the second ''god '' that formed by the same process than you. His name is Jason Grace."

Immediately, Percy delved in his powers to research any data he had on this ex-demigod.

"Brother of Thalia, so I killed another god's family, praetor of New Roma, titan slayer… Uh. I'd say he has the domains of Zeus, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter… maybe Dionysus? It's… blurry, even though I've got a name. A true name would be better…"

"You mean a Ren? That's not part of our world."

"The name isn't. But what it describes is as much part of the world as everything in creation."

They exited the hospital, and by a distortion of space, they were back to the base. Percy shifted back into micro-management mode.

"4, I want a report on the All Gate Keeper. 1, I want you to build blueprint #314. Then 2, you get it, and use your pipes to make it go back to the platform. We are to receive a new ship soon."

Percy then turns to Rachel, making a flawless tuxedo appear on him.

"Am I good to go?", he asked his champion.

"I would say more than ready, my lord", teased Rachel.

Percy groaned and asked "Where is the meeting going to be? I have to protect the location beforehand."

"Oh, you're going to love it. It's a theme park about water. I think it's named Aqualand, though the years may have made it rust a bit more."

"Oh please tell me it isn't were I think it is…", grunted Perseus.

Rachel smirked.

* * *

Perseus

God of ****, ***** and ********

* * *

It was _there_. On his first quest, with Annabeth.

It had been the place where Ares had ''let him '' do a ''small task '' for him. The park where him and Annabeth light have ended as a pancake on a gate.

Percy sat on the edge of a pool, and felt the chill presence of Death behind him. He didn't move, stir, or anything. In a raspy voice, he said.

"Hello, Death."

Unknown to him, Death smiled.

"Hello, life."

That got a reaction out of the ex-demigod.

"I have a domain over life? Does it come from Pan fading on me? Oh… that must be why Delphi likes Rachel so much. We share a signature."

Thanatos sat on the side of his counterpart.

"I always imagined that the deity of life would be female", blurted Percy out.

"You could be."

"Female? Nah, Annabeth gotta recognize me when I get her out of your clutches", said Percy with a pronounced smirk.

"Talking about that, and since you're the new god of life of the Greco-Roman pantheon, I thought we could pectize together. You know, life and death at peace."

"Sure!", said Percy. "Life's not only about birth, it's about using and re-using the same matter again and again."

"Glad we could reach an understanding. I hope that you do understand, however, that I can't give you miss Chase back."

"Yeah, ancient laws and everything."

"Mostly Tartarus for that matter."

Percy deadpanned. This was a joke, wasn't it? Her soul couldn't be in that place?

The angel of Death had no smile on his face. Just a serious honesty.

"W-we have to get her soul back! Can you stabilize the doors of Death long enough for two godlings to go out of there?"

"Two godlings? You don't plan on breaking the law…", whispered Thanatos.

"No mortal shall ever rise from the death again without having cleansed his soul of his precedent lives."

Thanatos nodded.

"And it never says anything about making immortals rise once more."

"you plan to use it."

"I didn't inherit Athena's powers to pout in my corner. I know the rules, and how to bend them at my will."

"What about the other one like you?", asked a genuinely curious god of Death.

"He'll receive my most sincere apologies, and won't get in my way. Jason Grace will either be neutral or an ally."

Thanatos nodded once more.

"It will be fun to be paired with you.", declares the son of Nyx.

"Oh, it'll be."

* * *

After some time

Percy was like a devil in a cage, running from book to book, researching, analyzing, piling sheets of notes in a sight that would leave Sisyphus with a depression.

Life was one of his domain, that much was certain after the meeting he just had with Death. But there was more to it. He suspected that the other one would too gain a very general domain, and that they both would be matched.

Why? The answer is simple. Fates hate him.

Piece by piece, theory after theory, he came up with something. The universal domain relation.

It is not really an equation, but that's as close as human mind can get.

It's a way to tell for sure what power an entity has, no matter how much they try to hide it, and to predict the use they make.

He then began to fill the gaps of his part of the relation.

Gears worked overtime in his head as everything clicked together.

* * *

Perseus

Abandoned god of Life, Power, Creation

* * *

There's a difference between knowing who you are, and knowing what you are. As of late, Perseus knew he was some kind of deity. Not exactly a god, but not far enough to be outside of their world.

What he didn't knew, however, was how exactly did all this come together. How what he _is_ and who he _used to be_ interact, and what this new mixture is.

Some had told him that names had power, and had thought that he had a global understanding of it.

Names have powers, not only when people say them, but when people know them, fear them, respect them, love them, well, when people have a special way to see the name.

Knowing your name, that was like… Like finally finishing the puzzle. Like a motor that finally works. Like being reborn into what you always were to begin with.

Perseus sat down and inspired, before saying it all out loud.

"I am Perseus, god of life, power and creation".

He almost expected to feel something new while saying that. Something like a storm finally crashing everything, or something.

Names have powers.

Maybe. But it's certainly not as badass as that.

It would be too good if it were like that.

Rachel cleared her throat. Percy flinched hard.

"Finished, oh, god of life, power and creation?", she asked.

"Oh! Huh… Yes?"

"Good. Then you'll be happy to know that it's been a day since you got to that meeting of yours.", said Rachel.

"And?"

"And Nico just reported in to tell that he found Stark frozen with no reactor."

"Oh. It's my cue?"

Rachel rolled her eyes as they became poisonous green.

 _"God newly entitled,_

 _You can and fight._

 _Was I really needed? To be bold_

 _I think screaming at your idiocy would be right."_

Once Delphi had finished berating the newly named god of power like a five years old in a Shakespeare play, Rachel's eyes lost their green color and her voice became normal once more.

"Thanks, Delphi! Now, what are you doing still standing there? Go flash yourself or something."

Percy held a finger up, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"First, if I flash myself there both my initial and final positions will be revealed, which we don't want, and second, even though I could work around that, you are looking at me, and a god flashing is _still_ brain-melting to a mortal. Which you are."

"Oh, so mister Jackson thinks he's higher than everybody just because he's suddenly became powerful enough to eat without somebody holding the spoon?"

Percy blinked, and tried to hold his seriousness.

Then they both laughed.

"What kind of… What?", asked the god.

"I don't know! It… it was better in my mind, okay?"

Percy shook his head, laughter dying in mere amusement.

"I really think you need some vacations."

"So do I, Perseus. So do I…"

There's something you've got to know. While dealing with people who see in the future?

Don't trust them about how late you are.

Perseus had to wait nearly two hours before seeing Pepper Potts entering the facility.

And then shit hit the fan.

* * *

 _So._

 _I think we've all noticed that I am losing my touch on this story. Chapters take always more time to make, and I don't have inspiration flowing about it._

 _Nevertheless, I don't want to stop it, so I let you do the choice for me._

 _In the comments, please tell me if you'd rather have chapters of the same length, or chapters with the same regularity._

 _Hoping you enjoy your day, Elpis 21_


End file.
